Letters to The Editor

ILLEGAL FIREWORKS PROBLEM

CARTER & KATHRINE REDISH, San Clemente

Well, we just survived another Fourth, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more ashamed and embarrassed for our town.

First, the Marine-teen issue at Pier Bowl and now citywide disregard for using illegal fireworks, by far the worst we can remember, and we have lived here 49 years. A town of law-breakers.

Fireworks are illegal for a reason. People get injured and some are killed, fires start, and it pollutes the air, not to mention the emotional distress to many people and most all pets. And not just firecrackers, the most powerful that people can find.

They sound like a bomb going off. And skyrockets. Perfect for our dry vegetation. And such a great example for all the kids. So, what to do about it?

The overworked police can’t respond to every incident and can’t always determine who is the one responsible. I propose a small drone force be deployed to pinpoint the locations where the fire-

Duomo is part of the identity of Florence, so, too, are our beaches the identity of San Clemente.

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 sanclementetimes.com

The federal government is paying for $10 million of the $12 million cost. Six years from now, when the next phase of the replenishment will begin, the federal government will fund only half of the projected cost.

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City Council Corner

BY MARK ENMEIER

I realized that our city is also laying the groundwork for a 50-year project of continual sand replenishment with the Army Corps of Engineers. It cannot be overemphasized how imperative this project is to maintaining our beaches. Without it, we will cease to be a beach community.

If I am fortunate enough to see it to its end, then I will be 90 years old at the time of its completion. While I will see some of the benefits of the project, it will be my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and future generations of San Clemente citizens to whom this endeavor truly belongs.

Now it is time for the honest conversation, for these projects do come with a price tag. The first initial sand replenishment will come this November and will cover the area of roughly Linda Lane to T-street.

works are being set off.

The address of the location could be determined easily in this age of Google maps and GPS. And then a ticket is mailed to that address. Just like Red Light cameras. Perhaps a $500 ticket would be a good deterrent. And would pay for the cost of the drone service.

Yes, Big Brother, but do we have any other choice when people totally disregard the law, and have no regard or consideration for their neighbors?

District Elections

TODD SINCLAIR, San Clemente District elections are less representative of city government. Why? Because you can only vote for one candidate, not multiple candidates.

Recently, the city was sent a letter by an attorney demanding that we comply with state requirements that cities stop voting at-large and begin in the next election voting for one candidate in each district.

So, should you have a city issue, instead of contacting all five city councilmembers, you will only get a response from the one who represents your district. The other City Councilmembers not living in your district will not feel obligated to response, as they do not represent you.

Therefore, you will have less influence in helping to solve your city issue.

And what if you did not vote or

The city will need to accumulate the resources to cover the rest. How we find the revenues for that phase, as well as subsequent phases, is the question we as a collective society must ask.

Furthermore, are we, like the Florentines, willing to invest in our city’s future even if we won’t necessarily see the fulfillment of that investment in our lifetime? I believe that the answer to that question should be an unequivocal yes.

Whatever our future holds, I also believe that it will be better if we approach it together.

Mark Enmeier was elected to the San Clemente City Council in 2022. SC support the elected district City Councilmember? Well, good luck. In some small cities, only one person steps up to the plate to run, and in some cases, no one runs in a district, and then the City Council appoints someone in lieu of an election.

Several years ago, we had an election regarding district elections, and it was overwhelmingly defeated.

However, several of our current City Councilmembers seem to have already made up their minds and favor district elections without fighting.

San Clemente is not a diverse community that requires district elections so that a minority population in an area has adequate representation. In San Clemente, there is no such area that concentrates a heavy minority population.

Our City Council is expected to decide on this issue next month. This is perhaps the most important issue that we face for representative government, and I urge you to speak your mind. Hopefully, our City Council will fight for representative government of five councilmembers and not just one councilmember you can elect.

San Clemente is a fighter, and we fought the toll road, and this special city can certainly find the funds to fight unrepresentative district elections.

(Cont. on page 8)

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San Clemente Times, Vol. 18, Issue 30. The SC Times (sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the Dana Point Times (danapointtimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (thecapistranodispatch.com).

Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. San Clemente Times is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, 34932 Calle Del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at San Clemente, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: San Clemente Times, 34932 Calle Del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. FACEBOOK.COM/SANCLEMENTETIMES • INSTAGRAM @S_C_TIMES sanclementetimes.com

SOAPBOX

(Cont. on from page 7)

ARTICLE ABOUT WAYNE EGGLESTON SALLY WERK, San Clemente

Thank you for your article about Wayne Eggleston, a visionary of our Spanish Village by the Sea.

One item that was not mentioned in the article was that in the mid-1990s, he started an independent Museum and Visitor Center at 415 N. El Camino Real, a historical building. It had three exhibits: President Nixon, surfing, and military, with a gift store and art gallery.

The purpose was really to call attention to the plight of Casa Romantica, whereas the city wanted to turn it into a Mexican restaurant. During that time, Wayne was the publisher of the first San Clemente history book, The Heritage of San Clemente, Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Spanish Village by the Sea , written by award-winning author Doris Walker.

It is now out of print, but it can b e found at our local library. One of the terrific exhibits was a large-scale model of the Western White House, built by local artist Malcolm Wilson.

The beautiful scale model was contributed to the Nixon Library and can be seen at the entrance to their exhibits.

Response To Paul Wehrle

BOBBIE, CAREY, San Clemente

I had to chuckle at one letter writer last week using the term “climate denier.” Is this the latest insult du jour? Reminds me of being called an “anti-vaxxer” and a “COVID-denier” when I chose not to get the COVID shots. I was also called “stupid” and much, much worse for choosing to go maskless in public during the COVID hysteria.

I’m always amused by those who claim to be so tolerant of everyone, yet they are often the first to hurl the insults. And speaking of which, wouldn’t it be “climate change denier”? Lol.

Freeway Trash

NANCY LIVINGSTON, San Clemente

Have you seen the deplorable condition of all the off/entrance ramps to the San Diego 5 Freeway throughout San Clemente? Caltrans seems to ignore us. Perhaps they should be paying more attention to maintaining these off/entrance ramps than spending time and money planning for the freeway expansion through San Clemente.

It is easy to report this issue, and once they respond and do not follow through, call them and keep the pressure on.

To report online, it is easy, by going to csr.dot.ca.gov. After you report online, do not hesitate to call them when nothing is done at 657.328.6000. Keep the pressure on until they actually clean these areas up.

Displaying The Rain Bow Pride Flag

JEFFREY HERMAN, San Clemente

An open letter to government agencies that flew the pride flag during June:

A 2022 Supreme Court decision, Shurtleff v. City of Boston, stated that if a government entity is asked to display the flag of one organization, that agency is then obligated to honor any other group’s request to display their flag.

This means that if the Orange County GOP asks that a Trump 2024 flag be displayed, that agency will then be obligated to do so; if a Jewish group asks that the Star of David flag be displayed during Jewish-American Heritage month next May, that agency will then be obligated to do so.

In both these examples, if that government entity refuses these requests, it will be in violation of Shurtleff v. City of Boston and might risk legal actions such as a discrimination lawsuit.

It’s imperative that all government agencies and their legal counsels be aware of rulings such as this.

MR. KNOBLOCK’S OPINION COLUMN PATRICK COAKLEY, San Clemente

At first, I read with some mirth Mr. Knoblock’s column in your newspaper. But on a se cond reading, it became apparent that Mr. Knoblock was not speaking tongue in cheek, but rather that he appears to believe the nonsense he wrote.

A Frenchman one said that we get the government we deserve. I’m afraid Mr. Knoblock’s article has me looking at my neighbors with a newly jaundiced eye.

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San Clemente Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or information written by the writers. Have something you’d like to say? Email your letter to sraymundo@picketfencemedia.com no later than 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Limit your letters to 350 words or less. Please send with your valid email, phone number and address for verification by staff. Your address and phone number will not be published.